Development & Aid, Europe, Headlines

DEVELOPMENT-EU: New Aid Chief Makes His Case

Stefania Bianchi

BRUSSELS, Sep 15 2004 (IPS) - Belgian foreign minister Louis Michel says his country’s commitment to international cooperation and a wide network of contacts would ensure success in his new job as the EU commissioner for development and humanitarian aid.

Michel, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Belgium since 1999, was nominated last month to take over from Poul Nielson for the new commission term beginning November.

But like the other new commissioners, Michel has to answer a series of questions about his suitability for the job from members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

In the run-up to the parliamentary hearings at the end of the month, each of the commissioners designate has completed a written questionnaire drawn up by the concerned parliamentary committee saying what they hope to achieve during their five-year term.

In the first ”general” part of the two-part questionnaire, Michel says his recent experience as foreign minister ”will be used to maximum effect” in his new development cooperation portfolio.

Michel, a former language teacher, refers to his foreign policy experiences in Africa where he conducted ”an Africa policy based on a firm commitment to restoring peace in Central Africa”.

He points out that his ”long-standing role” as a mediator in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, under the aegis of Nelson Mandela, makes him a suitable candidate for the bloc’s top development role.

In the questionnaire Michel also calls on his ”extensive network of contacts with African leaders from Rabat to Maputo and from Tripoli to Pretoria” which he says will strengthen relations between the European Union (EU) and Africa.

”As Belgium’s foreign minister I advocated ‘preventive diplomacy’ and ‘conflict prevention’, backed up by the budgets necessary for credible diplomatic action,” he says.

Throughout the questionnaire, Michel points to Belgium’s dedication to development policy and says that such a strong background will serve him well in his future role as EU development commissioner.

He says Belgium has led the way in the development field with pledges to increase official development assistance (ODA) to 0.7 percent of Gross National Product (GNP) by 2010.

His country also pioneered the establishment of a European frame of reference for combating terrorism and launched a debate on the root causes of terrorism during the Belgian Presidency of the EU in 2001 and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Michel acknowledges the responsibility his role will carry for developing countries in the South saying he will be a ”conduit for the hopes and concerns of our partner countries’ peoples”.

”I am particularly keen to obtain recognition in the South for civil society, including national parliaments, and its role in a democratic society. My country has invested heavily in this area in recent years and built up a body of know-how that I will not hesitate to share with the Commission,” he says.

Discussing the relationship between the European Commission, the EU executive, and the democratically elected European Parliament, Michel says it is ”crucial” for commissioners to engage in ”genuine political debate” with the Parliament and to take account of its opinions and recommendations.

He adds that he hopes to establish ”frank and close cooperation” with the Parliament discussing issues such as development financing, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the budgetisation of the European Development Fund (EDF), adding that he ”pledges to defend the overall outcome” of such discussions.

”I will always be available for dialogue, should Parliament request it, just as I will take the initiative to refer matters to Parliament and seek debate,” he says.

Michel assures the Parliament that he will listen to and take the advice of his Parliamentary colleagues.

”I will also be sure to draw on Parliament’s know-how, seek its opinion and report on the outcome of the measures we have taken. I will invest particular care in following up the execution and implementation of decisions,” he says.

Michel also pledges to carry out his role in an honest and exposed way saying he has ”absolutely no fear of openness”.

”On the contrary, my activities demand it. Without openness, there can be no commitment. There can be no meeting of minds, no ambitious ventures and no involvement on the part of Europe’s citizens,” he says.

Development groups have welcomed the published questionnaire. Brussels-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were not consulted over the document, but Giampiero Alhadeff, secretary-general of the NGO Solidar says the questionnaire ”feels like something that development groups would feel comfortable with”.

The hearing will be ”a critical moment on which initial judgements will be made on their intentions,” Simon Stocker, director of Eurostep, a network of development non-governmental organisations (NGOs) told IPS.

”It is also important, however, that Michel’s closest advisors have the knowledge and experience on these key development issues, as well as the ability to go out and fight vigorously…for strengthening the role and impact of development policy within the EU,” Stocker added.

The second or ”specific” part of the questionnaire when Michel will answer more policy-related questions will be published at the end of September.

Michel’s hearing before the development committee is expected to take place in the first week of October.